#18 WESTERN ILLINOIS LEATHERNECKS (5-2, 3-1)
at MISSOURI STATE BEARS (2-4, 1-2)
Saturday, October 23  •  1 p.m.  •  Springfield, Mo.
Plaster Field (FieldTurf/16,300 capacity)
All-Time Series: WIU leads 15-13-1
Last Meeting: MSU 17, @WIU 16 (10/17/09)

THE GAME: Missouri Valley Football Conference-leading Western Illinois travels to Missouri State... The Fighting Leathernecks have won five of the last eight meetings, but dropped a one-point decision last year at home... Western looks to improve on this year's 1-2 road record... The offense continues to rank among the nation's elite, this week standing eighth in rushing offense, fourth in total offense and eighth in scoring offense... The defense ranks 24th in scoring defense and 16th in pass efficiency defense... Western stands fifth nationally in turnover margin... In its last eight trips to Missouri State, Western has won six times and the two losses were by a combined eight points.

THE RANKINGS: Western enters the game ranked 18th in the FCS Coaches poll and 21st in The Sports Network/Fathead.com poll... Missouri State is not ranked in either poll.

THE SCHEMES: Western Illinois will line up in a multiple formation on offense and 3-4 alignment on defense... Missouri State runs a spread formation on offense and 3-4 alignment on defense.

THE COACHES: Mark Hendrickson is in his 12th year with the Leatherneck Football program, first as the head coach. He owns a 5-2 record this season, 10-12 record in three years (parts of two years as acting head coach)... Terry Allen owns a 20-30 record in his fifth year at Missouri State, and 115-89 overall in 18 years as a head coach.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Western Illinois holds an edge in the all-time series 15-13-1 against Missouri State... Western has won six of the last eight times visiting Springfield... The Bears won last year's game on a field goal with 36 seconds remaining.

SCOUTING THE BEARS: Missouri State brings the Valley's top scoring offense into the meeting, but only by a narrow margin over Western Illinois (37.5 ppg to 37 ppg)... The Bears have scored at least 24 points every game, including a season-high 59 points at Murray State only to lose 72-59... Jermaine Saffold ranks eighth nationally averaging 97.8 receiving yards per game and 40th with 5.2 receptions per contest... Cody Kirby ranks 15th in total offense (second in the league behind Matt Barr) with 265.7 yards. He also ranks 33rd in passing efficiency with a 130.43 rating and stands third scoring a league-best 11 points per game... However, the Bears' defense stands last nationally allowing 340.3 passing yards and 507 total offense yards. The 39.3 points allowed ranks 115th out of 117 teams in the Football Championship Subdivision... MSU has lost twice this year in overtime, both conference games (44-41 at Illinois State and 38-35 at Indiana State)... The Bears are 2-0 at home this year with wins over Eastern Kentucky and Youngstown State... Stephen Johnston rushed for a team-high 112 yards and a score at Indiana State... Kirby rushed for two TDs, gaining 39 yards on 19 carries, then threw for another 193 yards and a score... Safford caught four passes accounting for 141 receiving yards. He also finished with 116 kickoff return yards, including a 65-yard return... Skylar Smith recorded a team-high 11 tackles, including seven solos.

PROTECT THE BALL: Western Illinois turned in another turnover-free game versus Youngstown State, the fifth time doing so this year... The Leathernecks have committed just two offensive turnovers on the year (Indiana State)... Western ranks first in the Missouri Valley Football Conference and fifth nationally in turnover margin (+9/1.3 pg). Last year Western finished at minus-12 in turnovers.

NATIONALLY-RANKED OFFENSE: Western's offense has been nothing short of impressive during the first half of the season. Head coach Mark Hendrickson, offensive coordinator Doug Ruse and the offense ranks among the national leaders (and leads the MVFC) in several categories...

• 8th in rushing offense (244.9 ypg)
• 4th in total offense (477.1 ypg)
• 8th in scoring offense (37 ppg/3rd in MVFC)
• 14th in passing efficiency (147.11)

Matt Barr leads the Valley and ranks 11th in total offense (274.1), 12th in passing efficiency (145.68) and 18th in passing yards (226.3)... Terriun Crump (69 ypg) and Lito Sentaus (63.3) are 39th and 59th, respectively, in reception yards per game... Bryce Flowers stands seventh in the league and 27th nationally gaining 95.3 yards on the ground per game.

DID YOU KNOW...: Did you know that on 11 occasions (including this year) two Leathernecks rushed for 100 or more yards in the same game, or that 10 times two Leathernecks recorded 100-plus receiving yards in the same game... What you may not know is that the 2010 season is the only time in 107 years of Leatherneck Football both feats were accomplished during the same season.  

WESTERN RALLIES TO WIN: Western Illinois trailed Youngstown State by three points heading into the fourth quarter. The Leathernecks outscored YSU 12-7 in the final stanza to pick up the 40-38 win... That marked the program's first come-from-behind fourth quarter victory since defeating Montana in double-overtime during the first round of the 2003 NCAA playoffs.